Free Demonica by Preston Norton

high-school-weird, Miss Sassy Pants. I’m talking about weird -weird.”
    I nearly tripped on the Holy Shit that he was insinuating. “Wait. You don’t mean she’s a…a…?”
    “A what?” said Dante. “A Demon? Hardly.”
    My face flushed a similar shade as my hair. “Well, what the hell are you talking about?”
    “Just because she’s not a Demon doesn’t mean she’s one hundred percent human either.”
    FUCK was what my brain said. “W-w-w-w-w-wh- whaaaaaaughhhhhh …” was what my mouth said, which was basically the same thing.
    Okay, mouth. Let’s try that again.
    “She’s not human?” I said.
    “ Technically she’s human. But there is something very inhuman about her. And whatever it is, it gave me one swell headache back there.” Dante’s smile twitched.
    “Well then, what is she?” I asked. We were now climbing the stairs to the entrance, and I was glad the only people around me were in groups, engaged in their own conversations. Nevertheless, I kept my gaze focused straight.
    “I don’t know. But I intend to find ou—”
    WHACK!
    “Owww!”
    I had just passed through the entrance when Dante smacked face-first into…nothing. The Demon stumbled back, grabbing his nose and blinking in a sudden daze. If there was any indication as to whether or not Demons felt pain, Dante’s groaning seemed to hint a great big fucking yes. I had only caught the scene briefly out of the corner of my eye. But it looked like he walked into an invisible wall.
    Students continued to pass me by. Some sent me weird glances as I paused in the middle of the entry. ‘Don’t mind me,’ my awkward smile said. ‘I just like standing in the middle of the goddamn entryway.’ I waited for the last big group to pass. Extended my hands, I reached out to the area where Dante had crashed. Nothing. There was absolutely nothing there.
    Dante, however, had already staggered to his feet and copied my very same motion.
    His hands flattened against an invisible surface like a sheet of glass.
    “Oh, this is great,” said Dante. “This is just perfect.”
    I glanced from side to side to make sure no one was near. “What is it?”
    “It’s a Spirit Barrier,” said Dante. He slid his hands across the surface. “It seals any structure, closed or open, from Demonic spirits.”
    “But…wouldn’t that keep the other Demons out?”
    “Normally. Unfortunately, if these Demons are anything like our friend, the Big Bad Wolf, they are far beyond Demonic spirits.”
    “Like what? Are they…are they possessing people?”
    “Well, yes and no. I do believe there’s Demonic possession involved, but it gets more complicated than that. Take Amon for example. He certainly didn’t possess some genetically-enhanced superwolf. Considering the nature of these deaths, I believe that many of these Demons are just as evolved. Pure Demonic energy conglomerated into a tangible, physical body. In Amon’s case, a big-ass, pissed-off doggy.”
    “But why would they create a barrier like this?”
    “My guess is that Amon talked. The other Demons probably know that I’m helping you.”
    My spine became a rigid pillar of ice. I immediately turned and started for the exit. “That’s it. I’m going home.”
    “What?” said Dante. “You can’t.”
    “Watch me.”
    “Monica, we need a lead.”
    “Easy for you to say,” I said. Spinning around, I forced the best angry face I could muster. I’m sure it was enough to make kittens tremble. “I’m doing all the work, and these Demons are already onto us.”
    “So…what?” Dante said. “You’re just going to walk home? Pretend like none of this is happening?”
    “Sounds good to me.”
    As I stormed down the stairs and across the lawn, Dante sputtered for a response. Even from the growing distance, I could hear him relinquish a final exasperated sigh.
    “Monica, you’re a Demon Slayer.”
    I stopped. Almost involuntarily, as if my legs had forgotten how to be legs. Like, walking?